My debt free wannabe diary.....

Crap_with_money.com

Yeehaa – I'm in such a good mood today – and feeling very pleased with myself!! :j :T


I had a great night with the girls last night – always good to get a wee catch up! :j


On a money saving front, today is payday – and it was a really good feeling to see my bank balance with such a big +++++ sign in front of it this morning. :A :T Sad – I know! But I'm easily amused!! Siggie updated to reflect the lack of OD now!!


Just called the bank for an updated settlement figure on my bankloan – and it's not as good as I'd thought! I forgot that when I got the last one near the end of September, she included the payment which was due to come out on 1st of October – so I've actually only made another 1 payment since then (although she's included December's payment in the value she gave me!) - At least it's going down and not up though!


I've booked myself in today for a very cheap haircut! :money: On the back of my mum's fabulous new 'do from our local college, I'm booked in for a cut and colour next Tuesday – which should come to a grand total of £14.50 – as opposed to the £80 I was thinking I'd have to spend in the place I've been going to this year (and believe it or not, I'd actually already thought this was a money saving attempt, since previously I was paying £120-150 every 8 weeks – where I've paid £80 to go more locally, and cut back to only going twice this year! - My hair's been a royal site in between since it's in such bad need of some TLC!!). So hopefully the college will save me enough so that I'll be able to go a wee bit more regularly!


I need to get cracking now on a proper budget for Christmas now! Thankfully the next 2 weekends are likely to be quiet – I really need to get knuckled down with some studying for this interview, therefore I'm avoiding drunken nights out and saving a little bit of cash!


It's a bit touch and go whether today will be an NSD :eek: – I haven't spent a penny so far – and OH has gone upto Aberdeen for the night since he has some viewers coming to see his flat tomorrow (to let rather than buy unfortunately!) - so fingers crossed he'll finally get a taker and have that boxed off!! Plus, on a selfish note, I was feeling guilty at expecting him not to do anything tonight, when it's one of his rare nights off, but since I had marked tomorrow off to spend studying, there was no way I could've gone up with him – so he's off out for a few pints with the boys instead!!:D


As a final positive – I had my first weigh in yesterday, and lost a grand total of 4lbs!! Another 6 to go before Christmas and I'll be right on target!!:D


Anyway – enough of a ramble from me for today! Over and out!! (for now!!)


xx

Crap_with_money.com

aaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhh - I'm feeling very stressed out! This interview is fast approaching and I feel as though I'm nowhere near ready for it! I'm starting to study properly today - and I'll need to devote my life to it for the next week!

It's not helped by the fact that there's a constant panic in the back of my head about how I'm gonna afford uni if I do manage to get in!!

I just worked out my DFD and it's not until 2012?! That seems such a long time away just to clear £5k!! Plus, that's only dependant on me not getting into any more debt to fund my way through uni (ok so I'm not counting the student loan - as Martin says - it's more of a graduate tax, and should never be paid off early as you'll always earn more interest in savings than you pay on your loans!). My mind is doing somersaults about how I'm going to get all of this to work!!

Anyway - that's my vent over for now! Procrastinating on here isn't gonna make me learn the scottish education system any more quickly!!

xx

Crap_with_money.com

Time for a wee update on the Christmas list (the ones in blue are a work in progress, the ones in red are done).......


Mum Overnight suitcase (£2.99)
Cameron (boyfriend) Nothing yet, but agreed a limit of £30 since he's struggling a bit too, hhhhhmmmm.....
Arlene (Sister) Toiletry set (£1.69), Gimmick Coffee Mug (85p), Hand Lotion (42p) = £2.96
Stephen (Bro-In-Law) Gimmick Coffe Mug (85p), set of "world Beers" (£4.00) = £4.85
Debi (Sister) Toiletry set (£1.69), Gimmick Coffe Mug (85p), Hand Lotion (42p) = £2.96
Andrew (Bro-In-Law) Gimmick Coffee Mug (85p), set of "world beers" (£4.00) = £4.85
Hayley (Niece) Play boy Tote Bag (£0) - a bag I bought 2 years for someone and never gave them it cost £25 new and still has tags on, tube of Tangfastics (£1.00) = £1.00
Jamie (nephew) Metal Vehicle Construction Kit (£2.99)
Cara (Niece) 123 Piece Art set in a wooden box (£4.99), tube of tangfastics (£1.00) = £5.99
Rosa (Niece)

Miscellaneous spend: £3.50 for wrapping paper, bows 72p, £2.94 for Christmas Cards= £7.16

Total spend so far: £35.75

Rosa's Birthday on 23rd of December: Ballerina Doll (£8.99) = £8.99

Final total spend so far on pressie's in December: £44.74 :eek:

Crap_with_money.com

mum2one wrote: »

Know that feeling trying to get everyone together as soon as it hits the end of Nov, everyone has a brilliant social life.
No more holidays booked, just got to pay the rest of Cuba, dd wants to go to Tunisa to ride a camel, so looks like Cuba will be my last "single" holiday.

Very exicted, got my tickets throu for the Orient Express, only a day trip but my best mate coming with me, got a 5hr trip, inc 4 course xmas lunch, wine and champers. That was very moneysaving, used Sainsburys nectar points and got 1/3rd knocked off the price, the rest been pd by cashback, surveys, so we havent had to pay a penny........12 days to go. xx

Sorry mum2one - I somehow missed this post! I'd be excited too, the Orient Express sounds fab! - Especially since it's a freebie!! Looks like DD has taken on her mothers adventurous spirit! I don't know that I'd be so keen on a camel ride!!

xx

Crap_with_money.com

Well - it's been a busy weekend (of sorts!!). Friday I had a quiet one in an attempt to save some money - although I think that might have had something to do with the bad mood I was in on Saturday, since it gave me too much time to think!!

Saturday, I was studying during the day (so not a penny spent!! ) - but went out for dinner, then to the cinema (Which cost a grand total of £34 since I took my niece along as well!) - not so great on the pocket - but it wasn't too huge a spend overall!

Sunday we spent the morning doing OH's Christmas shopping (Thanks to halfcost, he managed the lot on a grand total of £16.50!), then sorting out his finances (he's been running 2 properties since he moved down 2 months ago, but finally got a tennant organised for his flat in Aberdeen yesterday), then I did a little more of my own Christmas Shopping yesterday, which again involved a bit of a spend - but not much!! Plus my pressies are nearly all bought! With the exception of the 2 biggie's I'm buying, since mum's had a bit of a tough year (dad passed away in January), I'd like to get her something nice, but just not sure what yet!

Anyway - worked out the budget this morning, and after the rest of my bills come off, and the spends at the weekend, I'll be left with a grand total of £396.23 to see me to the end of the month!

That's to cover 4 Christmas nights out, a gig, a few bits and bobs for my interview, a new haircut, some toiletries, travel insurance for Mexico, the rest of my xmas pressies plus anything else that crops up along the way! Hhhhhmmmm..... I'd been hoping I might have managed to stay within my budget, and maybe even skim a little off before the end of the month, but I'm not sure how do-able that's likely to be after all of the above!

I can but try though!!

xx

PS Started the month off today with my first NSD - so I'm off to a good start!!

mum2one

Crap_with_money.com wrote: »

Time for a wee update on the Christmas list (the ones in blue are a work in progress, the ones in red are done).......


Mum Overnight suitcase (£2.99)
Cameron (boyfriend) Nothing yet, but agreed a limit of £30 since he's struggling a bit too, hhhhhmmmm.....
Arlene (Sister) Toiletry set (£1.69), Gimmick Coffee Mug (85p), Hand Lotion (42p) = £2.96
Stephen (Bro-In-Law) Gimmick Coffe Mug (85p), set of "world Beers" (£4.00) = £4.85
Debi (Sister) Toiletry set (£1.69), Gimmick Coffe Mug (85p), Hand Lotion (42p) = £2.96
Andrew (Bro-In-Law) Gimmick Coffee Mug (85p), set of "world beers" (£4.00) = £4.85
Hayley (Niece) Play boy Tote Bag (£0) - a bag I bought 2 years for someone and never gave them it cost £25 new and still has tags on, tube of Tangfastics (£1.00) = £1.00
Jamie (nephew) Metal Vehicle Construction Kit (£2.99)
Cara (Niece) 123 Piece Art set in a wooden box (£4.99), tube of tangfastics (£1.00) = £5.99
Rosa (Niece)

Miscellaneous spend: £3.50 for wrapping paper, bows 72p, £2.94 for Christmas Cards= £7.16

Total spend so far: £35.75

Rosa's Birthday on 23rd of December: Ballerina Doll (£8.99) = £8.99

Final total spend so far on pressie's in December: £44.74 :eek:

Thats brilliant, theyve got lovely presents, and they sound more expensive than you paid. I'll be coming to you for money saving tips x

mum2one

If its any help shop around for your travel ins, try "Quidco" as you get cash back, I use to use Insure and Go, they are reasonablely priced. x

Crap_with_money.com

mum2one wrote: »

If its any help shop around for your travel ins, try "Quidco" as you get cash back, I use to use Insure and Go, they are reasonablely priced. x

Thanks, I will do - I read through the info Martin has posted on the main page, there seems to be a few half decent deals! I got as far as setting myself up with a Quidco account - I'll go and validate it now!

xx

Crap_with_money.com

well today is definitely not an NSD!

In my attempt at money saving I'm just back from having my hair done at our local college. It's not the best cut I've ever had, but it's by far not the worst either. The cut and colour are actually ok, the girl was just really bad at blowdrying it, but I'll attack it with the GHD's and that should be that sorted!

It cost £19 in total, plus a tip (I gave her £2, £1 out of the money I lifted from the bank, and £1 of change that was already in my purse) so that brings my total for the month down to £376.23.

I need some shampoo and stuff, so I'll try and get that today so that it doesn't ruin an NSD later in the week! Hhhhhmmmm..... just how much will that set me back though - buying toiletries is a big weakness, and I usually manage to not blow any money these days by just avoiding buying them altogether...... we'll see how I get on later on!

xx

ragstoricheswannabe

just wanted to say hi after i have read through your diary, (would of been rude not to) and congrats on clearing your cc and od!!

you are doing really well on your xmas shopping, i have been ruthless this year but your bargin skills put me to shame!!!!!

good luck with your interview, if nerves get to you, just think of your interviewer on the loo, trust me it works. (or if they are male and good looking then naked which also works and puts a smile on your face which they take as being friendly lol)